Yom
Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. The name of this festival is translated “Day
of Atonement” in our English Bibles. The
name literally means “Day of Covering”.
The rules and regulations God decreed for this holy day are recorded in
Leviticus 16 & 23. It was a special
day meant to be a teaching device explaining how, one day, God would provide a
way for man’s sin to be permanently covered and removed.
Among
the many ritualistic acts that were required to be performed on this day, two
stand out as being the most significant: the first was the sprinkling of blood
on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant.
This was the only time during the year that anyone entered the Holy of
Holies in the tabernacle / temple. After
flooding the inner room with the smoke from the burning incense (to dim the
glory of God’s presence), the high priest sprinkled the blood of the main
sacrifice on the mercy seat seven times.
The
other significant act was the selection of twin goats. Lots were cast to select one for the burnt
offering and the other one became azazel (the goat of removal or the
scapegoat). The one chosen for slaughter
provided the blood that was taken into the Holy of Holies. The other was to be chased out into the
wilderness – far away from the people, never to return – after the high priest
had symbolically “transferred” the people’s sins to it.
It
is in the New Testament book of Hebrews (chapters 9 & 10) where we learn
that Jesus’ atonement on the cross was the fulfillment of this symbolic
festival. For it was by His blood shed
on Calvary that our sins are removed; remitted; cleansed. It was the one-time, perfect sacrifice of the
sinless Son of God that (1) was freely given to pay the price for sin (death),
and (2) that completely removed sin from the people (never to return), and (3)
that was presented to God in heaven (the real Holy of Holies) which justifies
completely those who return to Him through faith in His blood (His atoning
sacrifice). For it is by our being
baptized into Christ that clothes us with Him (Gal. 3:25-26), puts our sin to
death (Rom. 6:3-5) and thereby provides remission of sin (Acts 2:38) and the
hope of new life in God’s presence forever.
Whew! That’s a lot of work. And isn’t it awesome that God did all of this
for you – before you knew you needed Him to?
Before you even asked for Him to help you? And isn’t it amazing that all He asks of you
to take advantage of His special offer of atonement / covering is to surrender
to Him completely, be cleansed in the prescribed way and live the rest of your
life for Him?
The
decision to do so becomes much clearer the more you come to know His Son
Jesus. It is also much easier to accept
when one realizes how much time and energy He went through (way ahead of time)
in order to make your choice so simple.
So, isn’t it time you return to Him for cleansing; for life?
Doug
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